Melbourne man could face death penalty for California fires.
Prosecutors said Thursday that the Brevard County man accused of igniting a deadly fire in Los Angeles could face the death penalty. For now, Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Melbourne resident, is accused only of property destruction, but the Pacific Palisades fire he is accused of starting killed 12 people. His next hearing is scheduled for a week from today.
Independent live music venues are struggling.
A new report from the National Independent Venue Association shows that independent, live entertainment brings billions in tourism to Florida, but many are still facing struggles. Tom DeGeorge is the group’s Southeast Regional Chapter President. He also owns Crowbar, a small venue in Ybor City set to close next year due to low profitability. He says small venues are a launchpad for artists that go on to fill bigger venues.
“You can look up interviews from Billy Joel to Bruce Springsteen to Taylor Swift to Pearl Jam and all those people will tell you that they would have never made it to the arena level if they didnt play the small rock clubs, and get themselves out there."
According to the ”State of Live” report, independent venues, festivals, and promoters contributed almost 8 billion dollars in total economic output, and supported around 52 thousand jobs across the local economy. Still, only 35 percent of independent stages in Florida were profitable last year.
“Those people that own those independent rooms are doing it sheerly for the love of it - and Ill be as independent as I can until my last breath.”
SpaceX delays launch until Saturday evening.
SpaceX pushed back the launch of Amazon satellites until Saturday evening due to the weather. The new launch window opens at 8:41PM Saturday night at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
NKF Rich Salick surf festival this weekend.
The 40th annual National Kidney Foundation Surf Festival, honoring champion surfer Rich Salick, is this weekend. It takes place Saturday through Monday at the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier. The festival also includes a block party in Downtown Cocoa Beach on Saturday night featuring Beebs and Her Money Makers. A separate paddle-out presented by the Florida Surf Museum to honor Ron Jon founder Ron DiMenna takes place noon Sunday at the Pier.
Bears get a break.
Most of the 172 permits for this years’ bear hunt in Florida have been claimed. But Florida Fish and Wildlife reports that more than three dozen of the permits were won by people who oppose the hunt and will not use them. The strategy was led by the Sierra Club Florida Chapter which urged supporters “bag a tag, spare a bear.”
Soggy times.
A nor’easter developed along Florida’s Atlantic coast today, and impacts are expected to linger into the weekend. Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network has an update:
Right, so just to clarify things, the system that is developing is NOT a tropical storm. Instead, it is tied to the cold front that arrived to our state yesterday. But, we can expect hazards from it as it develops and lifts northward over the next few days. Winds onshore the Atlantic Coast will be quite stiff, seas will be rough and coastal flooding and beach erosion should be ongoing, at least through the day Saturday. Onshore winds will also help to kick up a train of downpours and thunderstorms. And this parade of on and off storms could lead to localized flash flooding, particularly for locations in the vicinity of the I-95 corridor.
The National Weather Service in Melbourne warns of a coastal flood watch through this evening, a flood advisory until early Monday, and a high rip current risk through late Sunday night.
